1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an apparatus for projecting a laser beam linearly on an object, and more particularly to an apparatus for projecting a laser beam in a linear pattern by making a once radially scattered laser beam converge linearly.
2. Description of Prior Art
In making a laser beam draw a line of light on an object, it has been common to employ a polygonal-prismatic mirror rotated at a high speed, to which a laser beam is radiated to make the reflected laser beam sweep the surface of the object. However, this arrangement calls for a complicated device which rotates the mirror at a high speed. In addition it is not applicable to an electronic apparatus that transfers information, because the spot of the beam only passes through at a high speed. There is known, in the art, another device which makes a laser beam diverge through refraction by a cylindrical lens. However, the application of this device is limited because of the incapability of making the beam diverge in a wide angle.